Smoothies from the garden — six recipes the planner rotates for you.

The six smoothies

• Berry & spinach

  Frozen berries, baby spinach, banana — kid-friendly, packed with vitamin C.

  Blend: 1 cup frozen mixed berries · 1 banana · 1 large handful baby spinach · 1 cup milk of choice · 1 tbsp seed or nut butter

• Tropical greens

  Mango, pineapple, kale — bright and gentle on green-shy kids.

  Blend: 1 cup frozen mango · ½ cup frozen pineapple · 1 small handful kale (stems off) · 1 cup coconut water · juice of ½ lime

• Garden tomato-basil (savory)

  Ripe tomatoes, basil, cucumber — cold gazpacho in a glass.

  Blend: 2 ripe garden tomatoes · ½ cucumber · 4 basil leaves · 1 garlic clove · 1 tbsp olive oil · pinch of salt · ice

• Peach & kale

  Frozen peaches turn kale sweet — summer breakfast on the go.

  Blend: 1 cup frozen peaches · 1 small handful baby kale · ½ cup Greek yogurt · ½ cup oat milk · 1 tsp honey · pinch cinnamon

• Cucumber-mint cooler

  Hot-day refresher with cucumber, mint, lime and a touch of honey.

  Blend: ½ cucumber · 6 mint leaves · juice of 1 lime · 1 tsp honey · 1 cup cold water · ice

• Chocolate-banana protein

  Cocoa, banana, oats, nut or seed butter — post-soccer fuel.

  Blend: 1 banana (frozen) · 1 tbsp cocoa powder · 2 tbsp rolled oats · 1 tbsp peanut or sunflower butter · 1 cup milk of choice · pinch salt

Building a smoothie that actually fills you up

Most disappointing smoothies are missing one of three things. Fix all three and a 16oz glass holds a kid through to lunch:

• • Protein (15–25g) — Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, hemp seeds, a scoop of clean protein powder, or 2 tbsp of a seed/nut butter.
• • Fat — half an avocado, 1 tbsp coconut oil, chia or flax seeds. Fat slows the sugar curve so the kid isn't crashing at 10am.
• • Fiber — a fistful of greens, ½ cup rolled oats, or a tablespoon of psyllium. Greens are essentially flavorless when balanced with frozen fruit.

Ratio to memorize: 1 cup frozen fruit + 1 cup liquid + protein + fat + greens. Adjust thickness with more liquid or more frozen fruit.

What to grow if smoothies are your thing

• • Baby spinach & kale — cut-and-come-again all season; the smoothie greens MVP.
• • Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries — freeze excess in single layers on a sheet pan, then bag.
• • Mint — perennial, plant it in a pot or it takes over.
• • Cucumbers — surprise smoothie hero, especially in hot weeks.
• • Bananas, mangoes, peaches — buy in bulk when on sale, peel/chop, freeze for the rest of the year.